Britannian Empire (Megiddo)
The Holy Britannian Empire (also refered to as the Britannian Empire or just Britannia) is the world's dominant military superpower and one of the large supernations that control earth initially in the early 21st Century, the others being the European Union and the Chinese Federation until the latter's annexation. 'History' The story of Britannia begins in the distant past, in a group of islands off the north-western coast of Europe. Some time between the 7th and the 1st century BC those islands came to be inhabited by a sub-group of a people whom history would call the Celts. Divided into various tribal groups, the Celts of ancient Britain possessed a civilization remarkably advanced for its time, with sophisticated agriculture, a system of wooden roads and even metal coinage. This island world would see a period of dramatic change, beginning in 55 BC with the arrival of Julius Caesar. Britain had been known in the classical world for centuries as a source of tin, and was reputed to be a wealthy land; perhaps wealthy enough to be worth conquering. Caesar's first landing was more of a reconnaissance than an invasion, seeking to ascertain whether or not the Britons had been helping their Gallic cousins against him. He established a firm foothold, only to be forced to withdraw when bad weather in the English Channel threatened his supply lines. When he returned the next year with a larger force, it was ostensibly in support of Mandubracius, heir to the murdered King of the Trinovante tribe. Caesar defeated the warlord responsible, Cassivellaunus, and established Mandubracius as King of the Trinovantes; henceforth a loyal ally of Rome. 'Eowyn' It is at this point that the man later known as Eowyn enters the pages of history. Whether he even existed remains controversial, and even his true name remains problematic. Much of what is 'known' about Eowyn was formalized in the early nineteenth century, at the behest of Emperor Ricardo of Britannia. Even the name is problematic, being Saxon in origin. Much like King Arthur, the 'Eowyn' of Britannian tradition may have been a single person, the combined exploits of multiple persons, or merely a legend. In Britannia he is nevertheless regarded as the first of a line of Romano-British Kings (since retconned into "Emperors and Empresses"), thusly dubbed the Eowynids. Britannian tradition has Eowyn make his appearance in 55 BC, as a warlord leading the fight against Roman invasion. He is described as being a great war leader, whose courage and leadership united the Britons to throw back three Roman invasions. The illiteracy of the Britons means that the only alternative accounts are those written by Romans, often decades or even centuries later. The closest approximation in these accounts is a warlord of the Catuvellauni tribe known as Eudeyrn. The Romans note him as an outsider, possibly having come from outside the isles, who had gained the allegiance of Cassivellaunus and several other tribal leaders, had repeatedly spoken out against Rome (especially the peace deal of 54 BC) and having possessed some sort of connection to a mysterious set of monoliths in Britain's southern region (what modern historians know as Stonehenge). Eudeyrn enters the Roman narrative again in 48 BC, having succeeded Mandubracius as King of the Trinovantes. It is unclear whether this Eudeyrn is the same person, and no reliable evidence exists as to how he gained his position. Either way, he was to spend the next five years solidifying his power base and expanding his domain, bringing neighboring tribes into a grand alliance by a mixture of force, threats, and persuasion. Eudeyrn's power was based to a great extent on his personal retinue of warriors, known as the 'Chosen Swords', or simply the Chosen. They are described by Roman accounts as wearing chainmail, carrying swords and shields, and fighting in disciplined units not unlike the Roman legionaries. The sources disagree as to their capabilities, but all agree that they were loyal to Eudeyrn, even unto death. Tacitus provides the most detailed description of their origins. In his account, Eudeyrn attempts to raise his Chosen from among the best of his people. Unaccustomed to the harsh, Roman-style discipline Eudeyrn imposes on them, most of the recruits prove unteachable. Undeterred, Eudeyrn resorts to recruiting boys, whom Tacitus describes as orphans or simply 'unwanted'; others are purchased from slave traders. These youths prove more receptive to Eudeyrn's ideas, and within a few years are molded into an elite force. It is unclear to what extent the Chosen were any match for the Roman Legions. Over time their capabilities have been greatly exaggerated, and disagreement remains as to their numbers, with estimates ranging from a few hundred to over ten thousand. They were nevertheless invaluable to Eudeyrn, for no other force in Britain could match them in open field. Backed by his Chosen, Eudeyrn was able to expand his territory (in part to pay the not-inconsiderable expense of their upkeep) and terrorize neighboring tribes into accepting his leadership. 'Romana Civitas Sum' The Romans would not return to Britain for almost a hundred years. Eudeyrn's domain appears to have survived in some shape or form, ruled over by King Addedomarus and later by his son Dubnovellaunus, whose existence has been confirmed by studies of contemporary coinage. Both are listed as descendants of Eowyn in the Britannian legend, though there is little evidence for any such connection. The kingdom's capital was at Camulodunum, modern Colchester. But return the Romans did, perhaps inevitably. In 43 AD Emperor Claudius dispatched a force of four legions under the command of Aulus Plautius to bring the Britons to heel. By this time the kingdom was under the leadership of Caratacus, son of the successful conqueror Cunobelinus. He failed to prevent Plautius landing his troops in Kent, a happenstance the legend blames on an argument with his brother Togodumnus. He nevertheless reacted quickly, marching his troops to face the Romans somewhere along the river Medway. It is at this point that events once again become confused. What is not in doubt is that a great battle took place, with the Romans emerging triumphant. The main point of contention is over the role and fate of Togodumnus. Some accounts have him die in the battle, but the Britannian legend has him survive and defect to the Romans, taking the name Tiberius Claudius Cogidubnus. When Claudius himself arrived shortly afterwards, Cogidubnus swore allegiance to Rome as King of the Britons, and was accepted as such by the triumphant Emperor. Caratacus continued his resistance for a time, but disappears from the historical record at around 51 AD. Legend has him survive in the wilderness, fathering a dynasty of true Britannian kings who would in later times reclaim their own. Rome's decision to retain the Eowynid Kingdom, as opposed to splitting it into smaller entities, was a turning point in British history. Though legions were stationed in Britannia to keep them honest, Cogidubnus and his descendants had a free hand to expand their territory into the 'barbarian' lands to the north and west. This they did with a policy not unlike that of their Roman overlords, combining outright conquest with clientage. High-status Britannians increasingly adopted Roman lifestyles, and sent their sons to Rome to be educated. The administration was expanded and improved along Roman lines, and the settling of Roman colonia on Britannian soil helped to spread Roman culture and values. This did not go without resistance. Of all the complications encountered by the Eowynid Kings of Britannia, the most recalcitrant was by far the druids. Described by the Romans as priests and judges both, little else is known about them with any certainty. Both Roman and Britannian accounts nevertheless put them at the center of resistance to Eowynid rule, encouraging and helping to organize disobedience and even outright revolt. It is worth noting that the force sent to crush the druids in their stronghold at Ynys Mon (later Anglesey) was made up entirely of Romans, under the command of Suetonius Paulinus. Cogidumnus' own soldiers may have been unwilling to carry out the task themselves. The destruction of Ynys Mon marked the effective destruction of druidic culture, and the end of their role in resisting Roman and Eowynid rule. But it was the revolt of the Iceni tribe, located in what is now Norfolk, that would truly go down in history. It began with the death of Prasutagus, King of the Iceni and client of Cogidumnus. In the hope of preserving his kingdom, Prasutagus had willed it jointly to Emperor Nero, Cogidumnus, and his own two daughters. The Iceni territories were promptly overrun and incorporated into the Britannian kingdom, with Tacitus adding that Prasutagus' wife Boudicca was flogged and their daughters raped. The histories disagree over who precisely was responsible, but the affair seems to have been a joint effort by Romans and Britannians alike. The result was a full-scale revolt, first by the Iceni, then spreading across Britannia. Boudicca's followers ambushed and destroyed a Britannian army, and then a Roman legion sent to reinforce it, before proceeding to burn Camulodunum to the ground. Suetonius hurried back with his legions, but was unable to prevent the destruction of Londinium and Verulamium. The Britannian legend adds Caratacus to the tale, pleading with Boudicca to wait for his own followers to arrive before pursuing Suetonius. But Boudicca proves too proud and too angry to listen, and leads her troops to defeat and death. 'Vortigern' Supported by Rome, Britannian kings extended their rule to the north and east, even into the lands later known as Scotland. The Britannian legend claims that they came to rule the whole of the British Isles, including Ireland, but there is nothing to substantiate this. At the turning of the 4th and 5th centuries, these glory days came to an end. Weakened by civil wars, invasion, and economic and social strife, the western Roman empire had long been in decline. The legions were finally withdrawn some time in the first decade of the 5th century, leaving the Britannians to fend for themselves in an increasingly hostile world. Attacked by Picts from the north, 'Scoti' from Ireland, and Germanic and Scandinavian raiders from across the sea, Britannia entered its own long decline. The economy deteriorated as Imperial trade networks collapsed, and whole cities were abandoned as urban life ceased to be viable. The historian St Gildas, writing in the 6th century, gives the name of Britannia's ruler as Vortigern. Curiously Gildas does not name him as King, but rather as tyrannus superbus, implying him to be a usurper or warlord of some kind. The Britannian legend portrays him as a cruel and ineffectual tyrant, and mirrors Gildas by having him invite Saxon mercenaries to shore up his rule. Taking land in payment for their services, the Saxons established themselves in Britannia, along with others such as the Angles and Jutes. For whatever reason they turned on the Britannians, and carved out kingdoms of their own. 'Pendragon' The two centuries that follow are shrouded in mystery, concealed from human knowledge by a lack of written records. The Britannian legend fills the gap in its own special way, with the exploits of the Pendragon dynasty; otherwise known as the Artorian dynasty, so-named for its most famous member. Placing the Arthur of song and story in real history is at best fraught with difficulty, at worst nigh-impossible. What is known is that the Britannians enjoyed a brief period of stability, despite Germanic invaders having overrun much of the country. This stability and success went so far as to allow the establishment of colonies in France and Spain. The legacy of the former, Armorica, lives on as modern Brittany. Britannian legend lays this golden age at the feet of Uther Pendragon, and his better-remembered son Arthur. Indeed, this period (or the stories told of it) can be said to form the basis of modern Britannian culture. The legend places Uther as the descendant of Caratacus, the deposed King of ancient Britannia. The tyrant Vortigern somehow became aware of Uther's heritage and sought to imprison him, but did not destroy him for fear of a curse from the wizard Merlin. Vortigern's death at the hands of the Saxons allowed Uther to escape into the wilderness, where over time he rose to become a leader of warriors. During his career he acquired the name Pendragon, a name which has itself attracted its fair share of storytelling. Some tales ascribed it to him owning a pet dragon, or being a tamer of dragons. One theory even claimed he had acquired the secret of Greek Fire from the distant eastern Roman Empire. A simpler, but more likely theory ascribed it to his use of a dragon as his symbol. The origins of Uther's son Arthur are even less clear than his own. The Britannian legend puts him simply as the son of Uther by his wife Igraine, the 19th century version dismissing the more fanciful accounts as slander. Similarly much of the mythological content of his life, such as drawing Excalibur from the stone, was removed in the 'official' version. Nevertheless treated as fact are his marriage to Guinevere, his assembling of the Knights of the Round Table, his victory at Mount Badon (around 500 AD according to Gildas) and his death at the hands of Mordred at the Battle of Camlann. His death brought about the chaos and civil war described by Gildas, and the resultant collapse of what remained of Britannia. The Anglo-Saxons came to dominate the southern and eastern portion of Britannia, while the Britannians themselves lingered on to the north and west. These holdouts included Dumnonia in the south, the 'Welsh' kingdoms of Dyffed, Gwynned, and Powys in the west, and Elmet, Rheged, Goddodin, and Strathclyde further north. Some of these retained their independence from Saxon rule for many decades, but they were only ever a shadow of the Britannia that had once been. The Saxons enjoyed nearly three centuries of dominance, absorbing several of the Britannian successor kingdoms. These glory days came to an end as the ninth century began, as Scandinavian warriors launched plundering raids against the Saxon kingdoms. History would dub these marauders 'Vikings', for the Norse term 'to go a-Viking', meaning a trading or plundering expedition. Between their legendary seamanship and their excellent ships, they could strike and retreat as they pleased, even sailing up rivers to attack villages and towns that thought themselves safe. Neither the divided Saxons nor the weakened Britannians could stop them, and by 867 they had overrun the Saxon kingdom of Northumbria, and would go on to conquer much of the country for themselves. Only in the reign of Alfred the Great of Wessex, from 871 to 899, did the Saxons finally turn the tide. For all his victories, Alfred's true legacy was something far greater. It was a country called England. 'Britannia Resurgent' As the fortunes of the Saxons waxed and waned, the last Britannians clung on in distant places. Of these holdouts, the largest was a kingdom known to history as Alt Clut, but whose rulers called it Britannia. Located in Strathclyde, this last remnant was well-placed to avoid the worst attentions of the Saxons. Doubtless many of the Britannian refugees who ended up there hoped that it might prove the launchpad for an eventual reclamation of the entire country. But with the Saxons to the south, the Picts to the north-east, the Gaels of Dal Riata to the west, the rival Britannian holdout of Goddoddin to the east, Alt-Clut had more immediate problems. The Britannians had to wait for their time to come, but come it did. As Viking power waned, the rulers of Strathclyde saw their chance. They expanded their lands at the Vikings' expense, acquiring the Britonnic-speaking Cumbria to the south. Though they lost some northern territory to the newly-founded Kingdom of Alba, the Britannians managed to expand further to the south and west, their borders reaching to the River Tyne. This, invariably, brought the revived Britannia into conflict with the rising power of England. How Britannia found the strength to resist the Vikings, let alone overrun a considerable portion of their territory, remains unclear. Contemporary accounts describe an army not much different from those of the English and the Vikings, and some hint that the Britannians marched alongside Viking allies. The Britannian legend even claims that some Viking warlords swore allegiance to Britannia's Kings. A possible explanation is religious conflict, with both the legend and other accounts claiming that these particular Vikings were Celtic Christians, as opposed to the Roman Catholicism of the English and the Paganism still preferred by many Vikings. It is equally likely that the Britannians merely took advantage of a weakened, divided Danelaw. 'Sic Transit Gloria' Britannia would gain even more with the accession of Edward the Elder to the throne of Wessex in 899 AD. Doubtless preferring to have Britannia as an ally than an enemy, Edward offered the hand of his daughter Eadhild to Britannia's new King, Malcolm. Their marriage in 924, the first of many intermarriages between the two Royal families, did not merely bind Britannia and Wessex together as allies. It also sowed the seeds for the long dreamed-of revival of the ancient Kingdom of Britannia. Edward died that same year, replaced by his son Aethelstan. Together, the royal brothers-in-law expanded their respective kingdoms at the expense of the Vikings, with the river Tees becoming the shared border. Both fought side by side at the epic battle of Brunanburh against the Scots and their Viking allies, their victory stabilising the land, but leaving them militarily weakened. Though both suffered Norse raids from time to time, relations remained relatively stable until the reign of Aethelred the Unready, beginning in 978. His failures as King were many, but perhaps the worst was ordering the massacre of all Danish men in England on St Brice's Day in 1002. This deed provoked, or was a convenient excuse for, King Svein 'Forkbeard' of Denmark to invade in 1013. Aethelred proved as ineffective on the battlefield as on the throne, and he fled to France. His son Edmund, disgusted by his father's weakness, chose to remain and carry on the fight; his valour earning him the nickname 'Ironside'. He established himself in the Midlands, and sought help from Britannia to the north. Svein died in 1014, and his son Cnut was forced to withdraw to Denmark when Aethelred returned with an army. But Edmund's anger still burned, and he defied his father by marrying the widow Ealdgyth, who was reputed to be of Royal Britannian blood. Father and son squared off, but the timing proved fatal, as Cnut launched his own invasion in 1015, overrunning much of the country. Aethelred fled once again, and Edmund took up the fight alongside his principal ally, King Duncan of Britannia. Both fought hard, but Cnut was his father's equal in the skills of war, and many Saxons accepted his rule, preferring his strength to Aethelred's weakness and incompetence. When the armies faced off one last time at Assandun in October of 1016, it was Cnut who emerged victorious. With Duncan dead, and his army destroyed, a sick and dying Edmund accepted a peace treaty which allowed him to retain Wessex, though with Cnut as his heir. His death the next month left Cnut as King of the whole of England, whose resources he promplty turned against Britannia. By 1020 he had conquered up to the Scottish border, and although his line would not outlast him long, he would be remembered as Cnut the Great. After Cnut's death in 1035, the newly-unifed England was ruled-over by his sons Harold Harefoot and Harthacnut until the latter's death in 1042. The beneficiary was Edward, son of Aethelred the Unready and his second wife Emma of Normandy, who had married Cnut after her husband's death. This made him the half-brother of not only Edmund Ironside, but Harold Harefoot and Harthacnut. Edward used this to maximum effect, presenting himself as an Englishman to the English and a Britannian to the Britannians. He further deepened his connection to his Britannian subjects by marrying Enid, a Britannian princess and daughter of the late King Duncan. This highly symbolic event helped stabilize relations between the English, Britannian, and Scandinavian communities, continuing the work of Cnut. 'Harold Godwinson' But all was not well around the throne of England. The most powerful man after Edward was Godwin, Earl of Wessex. A consummate survivor, Godwin had been a loyal servant of Aethelred, then Cnut, and both of his sons. Edward had reason to be suspicious of Godwin, for he was widely suspected of having murdered his older brother Alfred, a charge Godwin always denied. Godwin in turn had reason to worry, for when Edward returned from exile in Normandy he brought with him many Norman courtiers and followers, to whom he gave lands and important positions. In 1045 Godwin asserted himself by persuading or forcing Edward to divorce his wife Enid, who had failed to bear him a child, and replace her with his own daughter Edith. Rumors abounded that Enid had borne Edward a son, who had been spirited away lest Godwin have him killed. The truth may never be known. Edward neither forgot nor forgave the humiliation, and tensions simmered for a further six years in which he failed or refused to impregnate Edith. He made his move against Godwin in 1051, staging a fight between the people of Dover and the retinue of his brother-in-law, Count Eustace of Boulougne. Forced to choose between disobeying his King and punishing his own people with fire and sword, Godwin chose rebellion, only to flee to Flanders when the uprising fizzled. Edward's victory did not last long, for Godwin returned the next year with an army, and the King's support evaporated. Deprived of his Norman courtiers and reduced to little more than a puppet King, Edward turned increasingly to religion. He would forever afterwards be known as 'the Confessor.' Godwin did not long enjoy his victory. He died in 1053, replaced as Earl of Wessex and foremost over-mighty subject by his son Harold Godwinson, much to the annoyance of Edward's Britannian subjects. They had not forgotten the way Enid had been treated, and many may have believed in the rumored son and heir. Their ill-feeling was made all the worse by the rule of Harold's brother Tostig, made Earl of Northumbria in 1055. Heavy-handed and greedy, Tostig alienated Britannian, Saxon, and Dane alike. When in 1065 the Northumbrian lords rebelled against Tostig, Britannians supported them in great numbers. Faced with civil war, Harold put the good of the kingdom above brotherly love, and Tostig fled to Scandinavia, vowing revenge 'The Normans' But if the Britannians resented the power of Harold Godwinson, this was as nothing to the hatred he provoked in William, Duke of Normandy. Regarding himself as the rightful heir to Edward's throne, William had in 1064 managed to extract an oath of support from Harold, reputedly on holy relics and almost certainly under duress. When Edward died in 1066, Harold broke his oath and accepted the crown. He readied himself to resist a Norman invasion, but the first challenge came in the north, when King Harald Hardrada of Norway landed a fleet of three-hundred ships at Tynemouth. Supported by the exiled Tostig and his followers, Harald sought to take the throne of England for himself. Harold rushed north, and miraculously managed to defeat and kill both Harald and Tostig at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. When William landed in Kent, Harold came south to face him, only to die in battle at Hastings. William was crowned King of England in December, but it would take many years before England was pacified under his rule. As England was governed by the Norman and later the Plantagenet dynasties, the name of Britannia would be lost to history. The English would later claim the figure of Arthur for themselves, his story retold by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the twelfth century. His account includes many elements taken for granted in Arthurian stories, such as his fathering by Uther Pendragon upon Igraine under cover of Merlin's magic, his marriage with Guinevere, and his death at the hands of his nephew Mordred at Camlann. Other popular elements, such as the city of Camelot, the Round Table, and Mordred as Arthur's son by his sister Morgan le Fay, were added in the romances of later centuries; by such contributors as Thomas Malory, Chretien du Troyes, and even Geoffrey Chaucer. But the Neo-Britannian kingdom that survived for nearly five hundred years largely vanished from history, its Royal line lost along with that of Wessex, its people and culture absorbed into a greater whole. It lingered on in song and story, and in the traditions of a handful of noble families. Eight centuries would pass before the Britannian Legend would have a chance to express itself. The Plantagenet dynasty ruled England from 1126 to 1485, when King Richard III met his end at the Battle of Bosworth Field. His replacement as King, Henry Tudor, was the first of what would prove a mighty dynasty. He was succeeded in 1491 by his son Henry VIII, whose long and tumultuous reign would see England remove itself from the Roman Catholic Church. He in turn was succeeded by his son Edward VI in 1547, who is remembered primarily for his extreme Protestantism, and his attempt to remove his half-sisters from the succession in favor of the unfortunate Lady Jane Grey. His death by tuberculosis in 1553 brought his half-sister Mary to the throne, who sought to reverse his religious reforms in favor of Roman Catholicism. It is for her ruthless brutality in this cause that she is remembered, perhaps unfairly. She was succeeded in 1558 by her half-sister Elizabeth, who in the course of her reign managed to stabilise England and lead it to power and prosperity. 'The Tudors' It was during Mary I's reign that the name of Britannia rose once again, in the form of Charles de Bretan. His precise origins are unclear, but his was one of many noble families who claimed some connection to ancient Britannia. Like many of the northern nobles he was a Catholic, and he professed undying devotion to Mary. But he was also ambitious, and when Mary commanded in 1558 that he marry her Protestant sister Elizabeth, Charles jumped at the chance. Mary was dying, and the marriage was a last-ditch attempt to preserve her re-Catholicisation of England. But despite this, Mary had no intention of allowing Charles to become King of England, as a letter to Elizabeth shows: ...he shall not have from my hand the crown of England, and I charge you never to grant it. For he is of that northern race who were once Kings in ancient time, and doth fancy himself a King in my kingdom. The marriage went ahead, and Charles sought to strengthen his position by getting Elizabeth pregnant. This he failed to do, leading to rumors both of his own impotence and that Elizabeth was using various underhand means to prevent pregnancy. He eventually succeeded in impregnating Elizabeth, but too late, for Mary died in November of 1558; Elizabeth was subsequently crowned Queen in her own right, with the pregnancy remaining unconfirmed until several weeks later. Elizabeth gave birth to a healthy son in August of 1559, naming him Henry. Charles was permitted only once to see the child, and would have no part in his upbringing. Slighted and humiliated, Charles sought to avenge himself and gain the power he felt was his right by other means. But he found little support among his fellow Catholic nobles, many of whom felt they could do his job much better themselves. Thomas Howard, Earl of Norfolk, is said to have mockingly dubbed him the 'Duke of Britannia', referring both to his boasted heritage and to the Ducal title he had received upon marrying Elizabeth. But the real contender for his place was Robert Dudley, Elizabeth's childhood friend and confidante, whom she favored with titles and postings in the Royal household. When Elizabeth created him Earl of Leicester in August 1564, as part of Prince Henry's birthday celebrations, Charles could take no more. He staged an uprising in April of 1565, using forged Commissions of Array to illegally raise troops; only for the rising to fizzle when Thomas Howard, then Lord Lieutenant of the North, ordered the soldiers to stand down. Charles was killed while attempting to cross the Scottish border. Despite his treason, Elizabeth showed mercy to his family by not attainting any of them. 'The Golden Age' Elizabeth would face many challenges in the course of her long reign. Of those, among the most significant was the threat posed by Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland. Mary regarded herself as the rightful Queen of England as well as Scotland, a claim in which she enjoyed the enthusiastic support of the Papacy. It was feared by many in England that Mary would use Scotland as a springboard for an invasion, backed by French and possibly even Spanish forces. This never materialized, due in part to Mary's difficulties in bringing her fractious kingdom under control, while France and Spain had plans of their own for England. More to come 'Washington's Rebellion' Age of Revolution As revolution broke out in France, Britannia held to its absolute monarchy under Emperor Henry X. After his death in 1799, his eldest daughter Elizabeth took the throne as Elizabeth III. She was an effective administrator, and did much to improve Britain's financial situation. Her tight-fistedness did not make her popular, with the people or for that matter with the nobles. Realizing that her empire was in much the same position as France before the Revolution, Elizabeth took it upon herself to resolve one of the most glaring financial problems, namely that the nobles held much of the country's wealth yet paid no taxes. In her ultimatum to the Houses of Parliament, she described the nobles in the words of her ancestor, Henry VIII: "They are but half our subjects, yea, and scarce our subjects" As their French counterparts had done, the nobles resisted her decree that they should pay taxes proportionate to their wealth and incomes. This time, however, the Officer Corps of the Imperial Army and Navy did not join in, even though they were nobles also. They could not bring themselves to turn on their Empress in a time of war, who was in any case backed by the war-fever of the London mob, whose passions she ruthlessly manipulated. The nobles capitulated, and Elizabeth finally had the money she needed. Unfortunately, her reforms would do her little good. Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson's defeat at Trafalgar in 1805 AD left Napoleon in control of the seas, a situation he did his utmost to exploit. Attempts to rebuild the Imperial Navy were scuppered by near-constant French raids on their shipyards, and in 1807 AD Napoleon landed on Britannia's southern coast with a hundred thousand troops, and more waiting in France. Elizabeth acted quickly, ordering troops to be deployed to block his advance, and sending out the call for the Militia and Volunteers to assemble. Her troops were well trained and equipped, but let down by Generals promoted on status and wealth rather than ability. Upon receiving news of a serious defeat south of London, Elizabeth fled north with the treasury and her foot guards. Her flight caused great consternation among the ordinary people, who saw it as a sign of impending defeat. In an attempt to prove her resolve, Elizabeth left her foot guards at the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, proclaiming to the citizens that she would soon return for them "with two-hundred-thousand more." The gesture served its purpose, but would prove a terrible mistake. 'The Humiliation of Edinburgh' Elizabeth set herself up at Edinburgh castle, intending to direct the assembly and training of the troops before heading south. News that Napoleon had become bogged down in Norfolk gave her hope. But she found Edinburgh incompetently administered, with food in short supply and the military logistics hopelessly disorganized. As word spread of their Empress' arrival, citizens of Edinburgh began to gather outside the castle, calling for bread and relief of their poverty. The gathering was peaceful at first, but the Edinburgh Revolutionary Council, as one of the local political clubs now called itself, started agitating among the crowds. When the leaders tried to calm things down, the Revolutionaries unleashed their rank-and-file, a mixture of criminals, destitute weavers, dispossessed highlanders, and other dregs of humanity they had snuck into the city over several weeks. Edinburgh was plunged into chaos, and Elizabeth found herself besieged in the castle, with supplies for only a few days and no way to call for help. The Revolutionaries attempted a bluff, persuading the despairing Empress that they were in control of the city, and that if she did not accede to their demands, then they would either storm the castle or leave its occupants to starve. Already unwell due to stress, Elizabeth gave in and signed the abdication, ending a dynasty that had reigned for over two-hundred years. Or so it seemed at the time. Buoyed by their unlikely victory, the Edinburgh Revolutionaries quickly sent word around the country, hoping to establish a revolutionary government as quickly as possible, and calling for the death of nobles and remaining members of the Imperial Family. Unfortunately for them, this would be met with mixed success; driven by bloodlust and insatiable hatred toward the Tudors, the Revolutionaries would focus the bulk of their efforts in exterminating the Imperial Family first and foremost. As Elizabeth's siblings and relatives were hunted down and slaughtered, one after the other, most of the nobility were able flee the Isles and head for North America, taking with them much of their wealth and influence. Historians would sight this oversight as a critical piece toward Britannia's post-Edinburgh preservation and eventual resurrection as a great power. Eventually, the Edinburgh Revolutionaries found themselves in a desperate situation. Far from rallying to their cause, the people were for the most part reacting with dismay. There was widespread desire for reform, but not for revolution. The only exception was in Ireland, only for the revolt to be put down by pro-government troops. Indeed, this was what happened throughout the country, even in areas under French occupation. Even worse, the Revolutionaries soon discovered that Napoleon was not on their side, marking a terrible blow to their cause. The Revolutionary assembly fell into infighting, creating a chance for Duke Ricardo von Britannia to make his move. Ricardo infiltrated Edinburgh, accompanied by his loyalists, a minor order of chivalry that called itself the Knights of the Round, whose leader was Sir Richard Hector. Such was the state of the city that Ricardo and his followers were able to rescue Elizabeth and her remaining followers from Edinburgh castle and spirit them away to the coast where they took ship for North America. The Assembly did not realize that she was gone until someone remembered to have food sent to the castle. The final nail in the coffin came a few months later, when Napoleon Bonaparte himself declared the Revolutionaries as criminals and directed his Grande Armée to hunt them down to the last. In turn, Napoleon would declare the formation of the British Commonwealth, a republic administrated by the former Imperial Parliament, who would be directed through democracy and the peoples' influence. At the same time however, Napoleon was keenly aware of Britannian (now British) history, namely in how the previous Britannian Commonwealth had failed. To circumvent this, as well as win British support for his new government, Napoleon ordered a formal democratic election that, in standard European fashion, would select a new Prime Minister to act as executive. Robert Jenkinson, the former Earl of Liverpool (abdicated upon his surrender to the French), won this election, becoming the first British Prime Minister. In the end however, Britain was left broken and bankrupt, denuded of manpower and stripped of its military might. Napoleon had little interest in actually controlling Britain, and as such was content to let Jenkinson and his Parliament run the country on his behalf. Unable to provide enough troops to be a worthwhile ally, Napoleon set limits on the size of Britain's armed forces, ensuring it could not threaten him. He effectively dismantled Britannian India, turning its territories over to local rulers in return for their allegience. Chief among these was the formidable Maharahjah Ranjit Singh of the Sikh Empire. He also detached Ireland from British affiliation, turning it over to his Irish Legion to reorganize as an independent Republic under French tutelage. With Britain's power effectively broken, Napoleon left the newborn country, still traumatized over the recent events, in peace. The War of Vengeance With the original Homeland lost, Elizabeth established the new Imperial capital in Plymouth, and set about creating a government-in-exile. Ironically, the Homeland's loss dispelled any lingering rebelliousness amongst the former colonists, who adopted the Britannian mantle once more and indirectly pledged their unified loyalty to their Empress. Taking notice of this alongside their collective outrage to those that wronged them, Elizabeth set to work in avenging the Empire's humiliation. It did not take her long to find a suitable target: the Republic of Quebec, the last remnant of New France which, upon the French Revolution, transitioned into the EU's sole North American state. With Louisiana under Imperial control through the Purchase some years ago, and Mexico vying not to join the EU with its parent Spain, the conquest of Quebec would effectively expel Europe's presence from North America and complete its transition into the new Britannian Homeland. So began the War of Vengeance, or as it is known by the Europeans, the War of 1812. 'Expansion and Conflict' With the fall of Quebec, Britannia held effective control over its new Homeland; all that remained to challenge it were the chaotic and disunified Native American tribes to the west and the militarily formidable yet socially downtrodden Mexican Empire to the south. Thus, with her empire reborn and full confidence restored, Elizabeth, whose health had long turned for the worst, chose that time to relinquish the throne to Ricardo, her chosen successor. This single act overturned centuries of tradition, but Elizabeth, still possessing the rebelliousness of her youth, paid it no mind, and very few amongst the nobility stood against her. Retiring to a private cottage in New York, Elizabeth lived out her remaining days in peace, dying in her sleep on October 18th, 1868 a.t.b. (1813 AD). In spite of the great losses and traumatic events that occurred within her reign, Britannians would remember her fondly as "the Empress who loved throughout her stormy life", commemorated by William Dunlap's play The Empress of Edinburgh. With Elizabeth dead and the Tudor Dynasty all but completely exterminated, Ricardo had little obstacle in securing the Crown for himself; any who resisted his rule was quickly silenced, whether through threats or through actions. Thus, in January 1869 a.t.b. (1814 AD), Ricardo von Britannia was crowned Emperor Ricardo I, 90th Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire. It was then that Ricardo made his intentions known to his subjects: the complete conquest North America and beyond. He dazzled noble and commoner alike with tales of the riches that awaited them, of vast swathes of fertile land, rich in raw materials, all waiting to be exploited. There would be no class war, no diseased or starving peasants, no sans-cullottes rioting in the streets, for there would be plenty for all. The nobles as a class were hooked, yearning to regain the wealth and privilege they had once known. The commoners too were taken in, dreaming of the prosperity that awaited them in the new land. Britannia's destiny would be war and conquest. Thus, with the Humilation of Edinburgh avenged, Britannia looked onto the West. It would not be long before Britannia would make gains in its western drive. Though the Native tribes possessed greater numbers than their "white" adversaries, their disunity and tribal rivalries prevented them from effectively countering the more professional and well equipped Imperial Army. As such, in little under a year's time, the majority of the tribes had been wiped away by the Britannian war machine. It would be at that point that Ricardo, to the surprise of many, made the survivors an offer they couldn't refuse: they could either join him, and be embraced into the fold as Honorary Britannians, or they could be killed. The majority accepted, and the former tribal territories were incorporated into the Empire, causing it to more than double in size. What was more, the incorporation of the new Honorary Britannians helped to ease Britannia's acute manpower shortage. For his part, Ricardo justified this as part of a divide-and-conquer strategy, which proved highly effective; he used the same method on Henri Christophe, King of North Haiti, who became the first Duke of Hemingway. These expansions proved highly profitable, and soon enough brought Britannia to the borders of Mexico. Now faced with a worthier opponent, Ricardo had every intention of continuing his conquest, but was held back by the same manpower shortages that necessitated the Honorary Britannian system. The development of the new territories required vast numbers of people, and military recruitment was cutting into the existing workforce. The only workable answer was slavery, which had long been practiced in North America. Britannian aristocrats purchased vast numbers of slaves via the existing trade, importing them from Africa (and wherever else they could be found) in return for raw materials such as cotton, which fueled the Industrial Revolution spreading across Europe. The lure of profit outweighed any perceived irony in trading with a continent that had thrown them out. However there was a sudden complication. Napoleon had been defeated at Waterloo in 1876 a.t.b. (1815 AD), only to die on the way back to France, reputedly of poisoning. Even so, the ideas that he represented lived on in a Europe brought together in peace, and the new European President, Joachim Murat, was entirely set in continuing them. This, combined with renewed fear of a Britannian invasion of Europe, only unified the European states further and emphasized both collective and cooperative military build up. 'The Britannian Civil War' 'Into the New Age' 'Great World War' 'Advancement' 'Death of an Empress' 'Conquest of Japan' 'Growth of the Empire' 'Black Rebellion and Devastation of Japan' 'Annexation of China' 'Second Great World War' 'Geography' 'Homeland' The Empire's modern home territory, formally known as the 'Imperial Homeland' or just the 'Homeland', consists entirely of the American continents. All these territories were acquired before the introduction of the Area system, yet, in reference to the British Isles being the original Homeland, are designated as Areas regardless. These territories are in turn divided along feudal lines, providing Britannia with a truly vast peerage. Despite that, Britannia does practice some amount of "modern" democracy, as local legislatures are elected in addition to their ruling nobility. This was instituted after the Britannian Civil War, to balance the power of said nobility. The largest of these territories are the Duchies, which are in turn divided downward into Marquessates, Margravates, Earldoms, Viscounties, and Baronies. The size, population, and economic importance can vary considerably. For example, the Grand Duchy of California includes the Earldom of New Liverpool (Los Angeles), and the Duchy of Ontario includes the Margravate of Ottowa. The Duchy of Hemingway (Cuba and Hispaniola, collectively known as the Hemingway Islands) consists of the Caribbean region in its entirety. As a side note, certain Duchies, ones that have gained considerable importance to the Empire or whose Duke or Duchess have gained recognition from the Crown, hold the special rank of Grand Duchy. These Duchies enjoy a great deal of influence within the Imperial government while their Grand Dukes/Duchesses hold the highest ranking amongst nobility, being second only to members of the Imperial family. As such, the title is perhaps the most difficult to obtain within Britannia's nobility system; similar to ascension to the Knights of the Round, only the Emperor or Empress can grant the title, and he/she only does so to the most worthy of subjects. 'Areas' An Area is a nation or group of nations that has been conquered by Britannia and made into a colony. Each Area is designated with a number, and its people are referred to by that number (ex: after Japan was conquered and made into Area 11, the Japanese were known as Elevens). For the most part they correspond to their pre-conquest borders, though in some cases, such as with the Homeland Areas, the former individual territories may be merged together to form a "whole" Area. Areas 1-6 are what make up the Homeland, and so are only treated as Areas in name; they are only classified as Areas in recognition of their not being the "true" Homeland (which remain the British Isles), but de jure colonies. Area 8 (Falkland Islands) lays off the southwestern coast of the Homeland and was originally part of Area 6 (South America), having been divided into its own Area in recognition of its role as a penitentiary state for the Homeland's worst criminals; as such, it too is treated as an Area in name only. Any territory not apart of these is recognized as a "true" Area, a la colonial state, and governed accordingly. (Non-Homeland) Areas are divided into three categories: Correctional, Developing, and Satellite. An Area gains greater autonomy as it proceeds through these categories, though it may be demoted to Correctional in the case of a serious setback. In Correctional and Developing Areas, the Viceroy acts as the Emperor's proxy, controlling the Area as all but an Absolute Monarch in his or her own right. This is considered necessary for efficient governance, but can also be a legal minefield, as shown in the case of Suzaku Kururugi (see Judiciary). The Areas also attract ill-feeling from other countries, especially the EU, which regards the Numbers as oppressed peoples and gives refuge to escapees. Any land of interest to Britannia is declared a 'Concession' and placed under direct Imperial control, usually for the purposes of Settlement construction. Concessions made directly to the person of the Emperor, or the Imperial Family, are called 'Providences.' Territory not ceded in this fashion is administered by collaborationist governing bodies, though they are answerable to the Imperial Viceroy or Vicereine. As of the modern age, the Areas are as follows. *Area 1 - North America *Area 2 - Canada and Queen Elizabeth Islands *Area 3 - Mexico *Area 4 - Greenland *Area 5 - Iceland *Area 6 - South America *Area 7 - Sandwich and Midway Islands *Area 8 - Falkland Islands *Area 9 - New Zealand *Area 10 - Indochina *Area 11 - Japan (Destroyed) *Area 12 - Philippines *Area 13 - Cambodia *Area 14 - Papua New Guinea *Area 15 - Southern Pacific Islands *Area 16 - Korean Peninsula *Area 17 - Indonesia *Area 18 - Middle East *Area 19 - Taiwan *Area 20 - Mongolia *Area 21 - India *Area 22 - China *Area 23 - Pakistan *Area 24 - Afghanistan *Area 25 - Senegal *Area 26 - Guinea *Area 27 - Sierra Leone *Area 28 - Liberia *Area 29 - Mauritania *Area 30 - Morocco *Area 31 - Mali *Area 32 - Ivory Coast *Area 33 - Ghana *Area 34 - Algeria *Area 35 - Nigeria *Area 36 - Burkina Faso *Area 37 - Somalia *Area 38 - Ethiopia *Area 39 - Tunisia *Area 40 - Portugal *Area 41 - Spain *Area 42 - Norway *Area 43 - Italy *Area 44 - Ireland *Area 45 - Britain *Area 46 - Libya 'Major Cities and Settlements' The Imperial Capital is the city of Pendragon, which is located in the Grand Duchy of Uther (Arizona). The city was founded in 1954 a.t.b. (1899 AD), and would almost immediately be established as the new capital for reasons unknown. The Imperial Palace is located at the center of the city, from which extends Saint Darwin Boulevard, to which the Palaces and Villas of the Imperial Consorts are connected. Pendragon is Britannia's political and administrative hub, as well as being the Capital in the symbolic sense, making control of it vital to the control of Britannia as a whole. The mountains surrounding the city are riddled with underground bunkers manned by combat units of the Imperial Guard. 'Government' 'The Crown' The Empire's Head of State is the Emperor or Empress, a position that holds theoretically absolute power. The Emperor can make policy, propose laws, and can veto any act by any other branch of the government. He or she appoints 50% of Peers to the House of Lords, as well as all Ministers and Justices of the Supreme Court. He or she is also Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Armed Forces, receiving a personal oath of loyalty upon his or her Coronation. The Emperor or Empress is considered equal to the law, embodying its authority while being theoretically subject to it. Transgressions by members of the Imperial Family may be punished by demotion, a fate considered worse than death. To overturn any official act of the Emperor requires a two-thirds vote of the Senate, while an impeachment requires a three-quarters vote. It is generally considered that an attempt to impeach would most likely result a in civil war. It is accepted practice for many of the top positions to be held by members of the Imperial family, especially Governorships of Areas. As such, it is considered seemly for an Emperor to produce a large number of children by different Consorts. Consorts who bear the Emperor a child are given a residence on St. Darwin Boulevard. Charles zi Britannia had over one hundred formal consorts during his reign, most of whom he married by proxy; for him to father a second child on a particular consort was a sign of particular favor. Naturally, this system is not ''traditionlly utilized by Empresses, as they only need one male Consort to produce heirs. Though the Emperor may have as many Consorts as he deems necessary, the Emperor can only select one to become his Empress. To become an Empress is the dream of every Consort; not only does it present the greatest amount of power and prestige available a Britannian woman, but the one who ascends is effectively recognized as the Emperor's equal, and so shares direct power and authority with her liege. As such, in similar fashion to the children they bear, the Consorts must fight amongst themselves for the Emperor's favor, which is not always earned by love (though it can play a huge role in it). Marianne vi Britannia, for example, gained the title of Empress both by providing direct support to Charles in her capacity as the previous Knight of Two, and because (at least in appearences) both former Prince and Knight had shared genuine love. After an Emperor or Empress dies, the throne theoretically goes to the Crown Prince or Princess of the time, but ultimately to whomsoever among the Imperial children can take the throne and keep it. If there is no clear successor, then there will almost certainly be bloodshed as the most likely candidates and their followers fight it out. The Imperial Family's private expenses are paid for out of the Imperial Estate, the value of which runs into billions of Pounds. It is common for Princes and Princesses to have private fortunes or incomes, usually the profits of private ventures. Viceregal positions also offer numerous opportunities for 'self-enrichment,' an example being Prince Clovis' involvement in the semi-legal trade in historical artifacts. Through this he not only made himself privately wealthy, but acquired a considerable collection of Japanese artifacts, which came into the possession of Princess Euphemia after his death. 'The Government' The government, formally known as the Imperial Senate, is made up of a Bicameral Legislature, with the House of Commons as the Lower House and the House of Lords above it. The House of Commons has control of the Budget, and is responsible for all legislation. It is not necessary for the Emperor or Empress to put a Bill before the Senate, but doing so is considered a courtesy. The House of Commons debates the Bill among itself before taking a vote, a passing vote sending the Bill to the House of Lords, which debates it in turn. A Bill that does not pass muster is sent back to the House with 'suggestions', which in turn must be debated and put to the vote. This can lead to bitter infighting between Commons and Lords, and between Parties in both. The responsibility of overseeing the smooth running of the Legislature falls to the Chancellor, who acts as the Emperor's proxy and go-between. In the event of the Legislature being unable to come to a clear decision, the Chancellor will ask the Emperor for a ruling. A Senator cannot be made to yield the floor except by the direct command of the Emperor, a stipulation intended to limit filibustering, though this rarely happens. The House of Lords is evenly divided between hereditary and appointed Peers, the latter being chosen by the Crown. Membership of the Senate is decided by popular vote in elections taking place every four years, the Franchise consisting of all adult Imperial Citizens. Needless to say, Numbers are ineligible to vote. The entire process is overseen by the Imperial Judiciary to ensure fair play. 'The Judiciary''' Britannia's Judiciary derives its authority directly from the Emperor, putting it on equal terms with the Legislature. It's uppermost echelon is the Supreme Court, made up of appointed Justices serving for life, answering only to the Chancellor and the Emperor. The Courts themselves are divided into Civil and Criminal, existing at the District and State level, along with Courts of Appeal. Only the Supreme Court may establish legal precedent, and it is expected (though not required) that the Emperor make new laws in consultation with it. The Judiciary guards its independence jealously, resenting any attempt by any faction or interest to interfere in its business. It is, ironically, one of the few institutions in Britannian society from which non-Britannians and Numbers can expect a degree of fair treatment. This is motivated by a concern for the Human Rights of non-Britannians only up to a point, the primary concern being efficiency. If an innocent person is convicted, then the guilty party remains unpunished, free to commit further crimes. The Judiciary is connected to the armed forces via the Office of the Judge Advocate General (OJAG, or simply JAG), which shares a similar mindset. *The case of Suzaku Kururugi is an interesting one. He was right to believe that he could expect justice from the Britannian judiciary, at least in Britannia Proper. Jeremiah Gottwald was able to set him up only because in a Correctional or Developing Area, the Viceroy acts as the Emperor's proxy, and with Clovis dead, Jeremiah was holding his post until Cornelia accepted it. The Purists nonetheless had to act quickly, as Princess Cornelia would be more interested in finding Clovis' killer than killing an innocent Number for the sake of their political ambitions. In their haste, they effectively overrode the entire system, found Suzaku guilty, and would have executed him were it not for Zero's intervention. Cornelia' subsequent acceptance of the post prevented the Purists from following up. 'Military' Britannia's armed forces are arguably the most powerful and technologically advanced in the world as of 2017 a.t.b. (1962 AD). They have an active strength of around 4,000,000 in peacetime, doubling to around 8,000,000 with the Reserves. On top of this is the Colonial Security Forces, consisting of lesser-quality army personnel tasked with holding down the Areas. By 2017 a.t.b., they numbered around 10,000,000, spread out over the Areas. The absolute maximum the Empire can support is 20,000,000, and ideally not for extended periods of time. 'Imperial Guard' The Imperial Guard is an elite formation within the Imperial forces, answering directly to the Emperor. It was first embodied in 1869 a.t.b. (1814 AD), as Horse and Foot Guards to Emperor Ricardo. The Guard would grow in number and scope over the years, as the need of the Crown for a politically reliable military force became apparent. By the Emblem of Blood incident in 1954 a.t.b., the Guard had become a bloated, corrupt institution, its usefulness nonexistent beyond providing employment for unemployed (or unemployable) aristocrats. Following that era, descending Emperors would take care to continually reorganize the Guard with their most loyal followers. The ceremonial uniform is grey, with elbow-length black capes, and plumed helmets for Guards stationed in the palace. Duty uniforms are of the standard Britannian design, only colored maroon purple to denote their allegiance. Guardsmen on combat duties are equipped in the same manner as regular infantry, and have access to the full range of equipment, including knightmares. 'Royal Guard' The Royal Guard is a subordinate formation of the Imperial Guard, tasked with the protection of members of the Imperial family other than the Emperor outside of Imperial property. The Guard itself is an administrative formation, consisting in practice of different Regiments named for those they serve. As such, unlike most Imperial branches, the Royal Guard has no standard uniform, with attire varying from division to division. 'Directorate of Military Intelligence' The Directorate of Military Intelligence, or DMI, was established as Britannians's main secret service after the Civil War. Like the Imperial Guard, to which it is linked, it answers only to the Emperor or Empress. Its original purpose was to provide the Crown with complete and accurate information on any particular subject, allowing the Emperor or Empress to make informed decisions. Over time, it evolved into a modern espionage agency, its roles including Intelligence, Counter-Intelligence, and Internal Security. 'Imperial Army' The Imperial Army is one of the two oldest branches of the Imperial forces, and the largest. Since the time of Emperor Ricardo it has served two essential roles; to maintain control over Britannian territories and to engage in offensive operations. The first-line forces, considered the elite of the army, are tasked with the latter role. The former role goes to the Colonial Security Forces, consisting of any recruits who did not meet the standard for the mobile forces. Both are organized in the same fashion. Their uniform colors are standard blue. 'Royal Panzer Infantry' The Imperial Army's knightmare division. Having taken centre-stage since 2010 a.t.b., the RPI started life as a conglomeration of defunct Imperial Guard cavalry units, the RPI was created to specialize in the new knightmare frames. Devicer cadets are chosen and trained in accordance with exacting standards, and are knighted upon graduation, giving the RPI a strong aristocratic ethos. As the name suggests, the RPI is meant to be administrated by Princes and Princesses, as part of Emperor Charles' policy of testing his children's worth through military command and administrative functions. 'Imperial Navy' The Imperial Navy is, alongside the Army, the oldest branch of the Imperial forces, harkening back to the original Homeland. The Navy's roles are to ensure the security of Britannia's coastlines, territorial waters, and sea trade, as well as to take offensive action in the event of war. The Imperial Navy is supported by the Imperial Navy Auxiliary, which acts in a logistical and transport role. Their uniform color is white. 'Imperial Marine Corps' The Imperial Marines are, as their name implies, marine infantry, linked to both the Army and the Navy (though officially a subset of the Navy). They specialize in amphibious, arctic, and littoral warfare, also providing armed complements for warships and security for Naval bases. The formation of the Royal Marine Infantry, as well as the implementation of the amphibious Portman series, has made them all but completely unstoppable in littoral warfare. The 2nd Brigade was assigned to Area 11, assisting Viceroy Cornelia with her counter-insurgency campaign. Their uniform color is grey. 'Royal Marine Infantry' The Imperial Navy's knightmare division. Formed after the success of the Army's RPI, the RMI, naturally being a subset of the Imperial Marine Corps, specializes in amphibious knightmare operations. As opposed to the older service, the RMI lacks the aristocratic aura as its pilots are selected based more on professional ability than officer ethos; the practice of knighting new members is the only commonality between the Panzers and the Marines. As the name suggests, the RMI is meant to be administrated by Princes and Princesses, as part of Emperor Charles' policy of testing his children's worth through military command and administrative functions. 'Air Force' The Imperial Air Force had its origins in the Britannian Civil War. Founded as the Imperial Flying Corps, it consisted of a few squadrons of primitive biplanes. The IAF got its name in a large-scale reorganization under Emperor Theseus, being divided into separate Fighter, Bomber, and Transport Commands. The modern IAF serves in much the same capacity as it did then, adding SIGINT Commands. Their uniform color is light blue. 'Royal Air Infantry' The Imperial Air Force's knightmare division. Formed in response to the invention of the Float System and the new appearence of flight capable knightmares, the RAI is the youngest of the Empire's knightmare divisions. Its troops are notable for being neither as aristocratic as the RPI nor as boisterous as the RMI; rather, they hold both characteristics in balance. This is due to the original members of the RAI being former Imperial Air Force pilots, a clique that has held a distinct mixture of professionalism and ego since the first Great World War. As the name suggests, the RAI is meant to be administrated by Princes and Princesses, as part of Emperor Charles' policy of testing his children's worth through military command and administrative functions. Unlike the other two branches, the RAI does not currently utilize a distinct knightmare type for itself; rather, its forces are made up of RPI units equipped with Float Systems. However, Imperial Air Force Command has shown great interest in adopting an RAI exclusive unit, with the current proposal being mass production renditions of the RZA-2B Palamedes and RZA-3F9 Tristan. 'Demographics' Britannia's population is ethnically very diverse. The oldest aristocratic families are generally of white European extraction, though many non-whites have themselves elevated to that rank. The black aristocracy of Cuba and Hispaniola are a prominent example, including the Houses of Duvalier and Dessalines. Native Americans and Mexican Criollo ''are also represented. The rest of the population displays an even greater diversity, with almost every concievable ethnicity represented to a greater or lesser degree. Britannian citizenship is based on the individual's relationship with the Crown, rather than with the nation as an entity. Theoretically, any person who formally swears allegience to the Emperor and to Britannia may be considered an Imperial citizen, though in practice such a person is an Honourary Britannian. While such a person has the same rights, duties, and privileges of a full citizen, in practice they tend to suffer discrimination in certain contexts, especially the armed forces. Some Britannian factions, notably the Purists and the Nativists, regard Honorary Britannians as foreign, and seek to end the Honourary Britannian system altogether. Britannian society as a whole is deeply hierarchical, though paradoxically it is also a cut-throat meritocracy. Any person with the right combination of ability and ruthlessness can expect to go far in Britannia, perhaps even gaining aristocratic status as a reward. The easiest place to do so is the armed forces, where the slightest ability can lead to rapid promotion. Just as success is rewarded, failure is ruthlessly punished, and not even the Imperial family is entirely safe. An atmosphere of constant competition and struggle breeds violence and ruthlessness in Britannians at all levels of society. These impulses must be turned outward, in war and conquest, lest they be turned on one-another. Initially, a small proportion, approximately 15% of the population, are considered in serious opposition to the current system, their main preference being Washingtonian democracy. Since the Devastation of Japan, that number has grown significantly, but they still lack the power to accomplish an actual revolution. 'Calendar' The Empire uses the a.t.b. or "Ascension Throne Britannia" calender, (also called the "Imperial Calender") dating back to the Empire's formation under Emperor Eowyn I, which is similar to our own Gregorian calender, but starting about fifty years earlier. This event is where Code Geass History diverges from our own, and the Empire goes on to suppress the American Revolution (or "Washington's Rebellion"), remain a absolute monarchy through the Age of Revolution, and take over the Western Hemisphere. 'Anthem' The Anthem of the Empire is called ''"All Hail Britannia", after the Britannic Salute. :Truth and hope in our Fatherland! :And death to every foe! :Our soldiers shall not pause to rest :Vow our loyalty :Old traditions they will abide :Arise young heroes! :Our past inspires noble deeds :All Hail Britannia! :Immortal beacon shows the way :Step forth, seek glory! :Hoist your swords high into the clouds :Hail Britannia! :Our Emperor stands astride this world :He’ll vanquish every foe! :His truth and justice shine so bright :All hail his brilliant light! :Never will he be overthrown :Like mountains and sea :His bloodline immortal and pure :All Hail Britannia! :So let his wisdom guide our way :Go forth and seek glory :Hoist your swords high into the clouds :Hail Britannia!pha